HOT CHECK DEPARTMENT

Mailing address
Office of the Criminal District Attorney
ATTN: Hot Checks219 N. 6th St., Suite. 200
Waco, Texas 76701
Phone 254-757-5022
Fax 254-757-5076

Proper identification of the check writer and prompt filing of the returned check is the best assistance you can provide for the swift and accurate assault on this form of theft.  Stress to your employees the vital importance of being thorough when accepting a check. If you establish a consistent policy on accepting checks, then you will lessen your hot check problem, and you will not offend your customers paying by check, since all customers will be treated in a fair and consistent manner. 

Follow this link for a list of suggestions to include in your check acceptance policy.

Follow this link for information on checks that are difficult to prosecute.

TURNING A CHECK OVER TO THE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE FOR COLLECTION

You will be asked to complete and sign an information form used as the complaint against the hot check writer. This can be done in person in our office located on the second floor of the annex building, at the corner of 6th and Columbus streets or by mail if you have our form. An ELECTRONIC FORM is available from this website.

After you have done this, the check will be logged and a search will be made to determine if the maker has other offenses pending. Your complaint may be combined with the ones previously filed if this will expedite restitution.

If the maker has no other hot check complaints on file, our office will usually notify the check writer that a criminal case is about to be filed against him/her. The maker will be informed that if he/she does not make restitution which includes a $30.00 return check charge for you and a processing fee to the District Attorney's office, prosecution will be started.

Once a check is turned over to our office, do not accept payment from that check writer. Once you have turned the check over to us and have signed a complaint, the check is our responsibility and the check writer must deal with us. This protects you as well as all other complainants.

The processing fee charged the hot check writer along with his restitution and returned check fee to you is authorized under the hot check fee act of the Texas Legislature and is used to defray some of the cost of recovering your restitution and prosecuting the crime. This fee requires the hot check writer to help bear the cost of their misdeed. After filing the case, the hot check writer can also be charged the additional expenses of the fine and court costs which could run into hundreds of dollars, or he could be sentenced to jail or prison.  

If restitution is made, our restitution check will be mailed to you as soon as possible. Restitution checks are mailed out twice monthly. If no restitution is made, we will make every effort to see that the defendant goes to jail.

NO FEE IS CHARGED CITIZENS OR BUSINESSES FOR THIS SERVICE.